New 49ers coach laments missed title opportunity
Soon after the Atlanta Falcons squandered a 25-point lead in losing the Super Bowl to the New England Patriots, a report emerged that offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan told people close to the team: “I blew it.”
Thursday, when Shanahan was introduced as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, he essentially corroborated the account from WSB, an ABC television affiliate in Atlanta.
“I remember every single play, and I will go over those for the rest of my life,” Shanahan said at his introductory news conference. “That’s kind of the life we live as coaches. It’s magnified in the Super Bowl, but that’s the case in every game.
“I was made aware of that report about an hour ago — and I don’t know that I used those exact words — but that sounds about how I talk. When you’re the coordinator of an offense or a head coach, you’re responsible for what happens out there.
“I did believe that we had a very good chance to win that game, especially at the end, and we didn’t get it done. When you use the words ‘I blew it,’ I don’t look at it that way. I believe we missed an opportunity.”
Atlanta led 28-3 in the third quarter before allowing New England to score 31 unanswered points, including the game-winning touchdown in overtime. From the time when there was 2:05 left in the third quarter — when Atlanta led 28-9 — until the end of the game, the Falcons ran 17 plays; five of them were rushes. Shanahan’s play selection has been criticized.
“We played that game like we played every game the entire year,” he said. “I called plays in that game the way I called them the entire year. Doesn’t mean I’m always right. Doesn’t mean they always work. But I promise you, I always prepare as hard as I can. I always do what I believe is right with our coaching staff and the players, and you always live with the consequences. And, yeah, it’s going to be hard living with that loss.
“Every play that didn’t work, I regret, as always. But I can deal with it, because I can look in the mirror and know that I did what I believed was best at the time.”
Shanahan was named the 20th head coach in 49ers history Monday. He said Thursday that he planned to call plays for San Francisco and didn’t plan to hire an offensive coordinator.
New general manager John Lynch said quarterback Colin Kaepernick reached out to the team’s front office but said no decision had been made about his future. Lynch said he and Shanahan needed time to fully evaluate the roster.
“We committed to truly making it a partnership,” Lynch said of the working relationship he and Shanahan hope to build.
“I think the roles as they are defined are reflective of that. I can tell you, Kyle has control of the 53 (game-day roster), I have the 90 (offseason roster), free agency and the draft. But in all of those, it’s written as subject to approval of the other guy. That’s the way we wanted it.”